Politics, Public Relations and Islam in the UK Public Sphere

The intense media exposure of Islam and Muslims in the UK since the launch of the ‘war on terror’ in 2001 has prompted a multitude of academic studies examining their representation in the press. While these studies have provided insights into media narratives and their political framing, they often focus on broader cultural challenges such as Islamophobia or Orientalism, neglecting a thorough understanding of the underlying social and professional processes within the news media. This chapter offers an alternative approach by exploring the processes that shape news content. It reframes the analysis of Islam within a political context, examining the positioning of Muslim groups within the UK’s political field and their use of public relations (PR) practices to influence media narratives. PR is a crucial tool within the political field, enabling effective communication between politicians and the news media. The chapter reviews existing literature on Islam and the media, outlines the theoretical foundation of mediatisation theory, and presents original research conducted among representatives of Muslim organizations engaged in challenging or altering the representation of Islam in the UK media. The findings reveal the potential of PR practices to reshape media narratives about Islam, suggesting its underutilization by Muslim groups. The chapter concludes by discussing the interplay between the media and political fields, emphasizing the role of PR practitioners in managing relationships and shaping news content. It underscores the need for Muslim groups to strategically engage with PR to influence media narratives and counter dominant representations of Islam.